Railway-switch mechanism



Sept. 11, 1923.

C. J. KELLOWAY RAILWAY SWITCH MECHANISM- Filed Jan. 22 1923 INVENTOR. cf 5 l 5 2 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, m3.

CHARLES J. KELLOWAY, or WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

inner? RAILWAY-SWITCH MECHANISM. v

Application filed January 22, 1923. Serial No. 614,202. I

' tween the switch and its operating means.

I will describe one form of mechanism embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one form of railway switch having associated therewith a device B embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in front elevation, partly sectioned, the device B illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line IIIIII in Fig. 2..

Referring first to Fig. 1 the reference character A designates a railway switch comprising, as usual, two stockrails- 4 and 4E and two movable rails 2 and 2*. The two movable rails 2 and 2 are connected mechanically in the usual manner by ahead rod 3. An operating rod 5 is attached to this head rod 3 by means of some suitable connection, as a lug 10. Rails 4 and 2 or rails 2 and 4 may thus be brought into engagement by moving operating rod 5 longitudinally in one direction or the other. As shown in the drawing. this motion is effected by means of a bell crank 6 connected with operating rod 5 and caused to swing about its pivot 11 by some actuating means such as a lever 9 through pipes 7 and 8 operably connected with this bell crank. Interposed between pipes 7 and 8 of the pipe line is a device B for adjusting the length of the stroke of operating rod 5.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the device B comprises a rod H connected with pipe 7 by some suitable means such as a screw sleeve K. A plunger G is connected with pipe 8 by a similar screw sleeve L. The rod H is provided with screw threads and is screwed into one end of a housing C. This housing is provided with a central recess C and the distance by which rod H extends into this recess may be regulated by screwing this rod in or out. Ajam'or lock nut D screws tight against housing 0 and retainsrod H in any desired position with respect to this housing. A bushing F is screwed into the left hand end of housing C. The shank G of plunger G passes freely through this bushing F but is provided with an upset end G extending into recess'C which end is'capable of engaging the'inner end ofjbushing F. This bushing may be inovedinto ,or out of the housing C by screwing it 'in the proper direction, and a lock nut E is arranged to hold the'bushing in any desired position byscrewing tight against the end of. the housing. Thus it is plain that motion'of plunger Gr toward the i left is limited by bushing F and toward the right by the end H of rod H, and that during the movement of the plunger between these two extreme positions there is 'no mo tion of rod H and pipe 7. That is, the stroke of pipe 7 is nowless than the stroke of pipe 8. By proper adjustments of bushing F and rod H in the housing C, the r'ela tive motions of the two parts of the pipe line, that is, the amount of lost motion between these parts may be'acc'urately adjust ed and so the stroke of the operating rod 5 may be accurately and conveniently regulated.

One important feature of a regulating device embodying my invention is that the operating parts are fully enclosed in the housing C, and so are completely protected from the weather and from damage due to water.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway switch mechanism embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my in vent-i0 I I Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A lost motion device for use in COIlllGC- tion with a railway switch and its operating mechanism, said device comprising a cylindrical housing open at both ends, a rod entering said housingat one end and thereby closing such end and constituting an abutment within the housing, a hollow bushing entering the llOUSlIlg' at the other end and constituting a second abutment within the housing, anda plunger slidably mounted in lua said bushing and closing the associated end of the housing and movable between said two abutments.

2. In railway switch mechanism comprising switch rails, a head rod connecting said rails and an operating rod for moving the switch, the combination with the foregoing instrumentalities of a rod operably connected wit-h said operating rod, a housing secured to said rod and provided with an internal chamber into which said rod projects, a bushing secured to said housing, a. plunger passing freely through said bushing and having an upset end projecting into said chamber and capable of moving between two extreme positions wherein said upset end engages said bushing or said rod.

3. In railway switch mechanism comprising switch rails, a head rod connecting said rails and an operating rod for moving the switch, the combination with the foregoing instrumentalities of a rod operably connected with said operating rod, a housing, means for locking said rod in adjacent positions with respect to said housing, a bushing, means for locking said bushing in ad justed positions with respect to said housing, and a plunger for co-operating with said bushing or said rod.

4. In railway switch mechanism comprising switch rails, a head rod connecting said rails and an operating rod-tor moving the switch, the combination with the foregoing instrumentalities of a rod opera-bly connected with said operating rod, a housing screwed on said rod and having a chamber into which said rod extends, a bushing screwed into said housing and establishing an abutment within said chamber, a plunger passing freely through said bushing and provided with an upset end for co-operating with said rod or said abutment, and means for operating said plunger.

5. In combination, a railway switch, an operating rod for said switch, means for actuating said rod and comprising a plunger having an upset end adapted at times to engage said operating rod, and means surrounding the ends of said rod and said plunger for at other times engaging said upset end.

6. In. combination, a railway switch, an operating rod for said switch, means for actuating said rod and comprising a plunger havingan upset end adapted at times to en-' gage said operating rod, and means attached to said rod and protecting the ends of said rod and said plunger for at other times engaging said upset end.

7. In combination, a railway switch, an

operating rod for said switch, means for actuatin said rod and comprising a plungeihaving an upset end adapted at times toengage said operating rod, and means attached to said rod for protecting the ends of said rod and said plunger, and means operably connected with said second means for at other times engaging said upset end.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

CHARLES J. KELLOWAY. 

